25th June
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby taking place at The Curragh this Saturday June 27 is set to be one of the most competitive in recent times. 15 horses remain in the race following this morning’s declaration of runners, the biggest field since 1977.
Aidan O’Brien who has won Ireland’s premier Classic thirteen times will have a strong team to represent him with six runners including recent Royal Ascot winner Santiago.
His son Joseph will try to win the race for a second time having won with Latrobe in 2018. He will be represented by the unbeaten Crossfirehurricane, while New York Girl who finished fourth in the recent Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas was added into the race earlier this week as a supplementary entry at a cost of €50,000, she will attempt to be the first filly to win the race since Balanchine in 1994. He also has Curragh recent winner Galileo Chrome in the race.
Fiscal Rules will represent Jim Bolger, who has won the race twice with St Jovite and Trading Leather.
Jessica Harrington will attempt to become the first female trainer to win the race with Gold Maze who finished runner-up in the recent Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule Stakes.
This year’s race will be particularly significant for trainers with first Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby runners, Donnacha O’Brien with Sherpa, Emmet Mullins with King Of Thrones, Ger Lyons with Chiricahua and Andy Slattery with Sunchart.
The 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Sovereign is one of eight runners in a fascinating contest for the Comer Group International Vintage Crop Stakes, while seven two-year-olds will line up in the GAIN First Flier Stakes including the Ger Lyons trained Frenetic and the Aidan Obrien trained Hyde Park Barracks. 2018 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Latrobe and Sir Dragonet are two of five runners in the Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Creekside Alleged Stakes.
For all the latest news on the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival including digital racecard, details of creating your own Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at home and virtual Style competition in association with evoke.ie, see https://www.curragh.ie/dubai-duty-free-irish-derby
Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
Paddy Power: 11-4 Santiago, 5 Arthur’s Kingdom, Crossfirehurricane, 7 Fiscal Rules, 8 Iberia, 14 Tiger Moth, 16 Dawn Patrol, Gold Maze, New York Girl, Sherpa, 20 Chiricahua, Galileo Chrome, 25 Order Of Australia, 40 King Of The Throne, Sunchart
NOTES TO EDITOR
Ground:
The ground at The Curragh this morning as of 8.10am on 25th June 2020
Straight Course: Good.
Round Course: Good, Good to Firm in Places.
Selective watering will commence this morning.
Forecast:
Mainly dry today with high temperatures. Possibility of showers overnight.
Track:
Stalls in centre of track for all sprints.
Racing on stand side track.
TV Coverage:
Racing will be shown live on RTE on all three days; Friday from 7pm to 8pm, Sat 6pm to 8pm, Sun 3pm to 5pm
Racing TV will show all races to an extensive international audience live over the three days.
ITV Sunday will show the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes & Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes.
Fox Sports (US) will show live coverage of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for the first time attracting a potential audience of 80 million viewers
CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO DECLARED RUNNERS FOR THE DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH DERBY
Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
Paddy Power: 11-4 Santiago, 9-2 Arthur’s Kingdom, 5 Crossfirehurricane, 7 Fiscal Rules, 8 Iberia, 12 Tiger Moth, 14 Dawn Patrol, 16 Gold Maze, New York Girl, Sherpa, 20 Chiricahua, 22 Galileo Chrome, 25 Order Of Australia, 40 Sunchart, 50 King Of The Throne
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Whether it’s because Sovereign struck at 33-1 for Aidan O’Brien last year, but we’ve seen a bit of interest in a couple of the Cashel conjuror’s outsiders. We’ve laid Tiger Moth at 16-1 and taken a few bets on Order Of Australia, the mount of Sovereign’s winning pilot Padraig Beggy.”